University of Minnesota Athletics
GOPHERS HOST WISCONSIN IN BORDER BATTLE
2/8/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
MSC TO CARRY BORDER BATTLE - Midwest Sports Channel will broadcast the Wisconsin game on Thursday live. Anthony LaPanta will provide the play-by-play, while Lea B. Olsen will add the color commentary.
GOPHER PROBABLE STARTERS - Ten different Gophers have started games this season. The probable lineup listed has started the last four games. The Probable Starters:
Pos # Name Ht. Yr. ppg rpg apg F 4 Erin Olson 5-9 Sr. 10.5 5.0 4.4 F 33 Moneeke Bowden 6-1 Sr. 8.9 6.5 0.7 C 30 Brandy Pickens 6-2 Jr. 3.8 5.6 0.5 G 11 C. VanderHeyden 5-6 So. 10.6 2.6 3.2 G 21 Lindsay Lieser 5-10 Fr. 9.5 2.3 0.8 Off the Bench: Pos # Name Ht. Yr. ppg rpg apg C 10 Kim Prince 6-1 Fr. 3.9 3.2 0.4 F 15 Jackie Tate 6-1 So. 3.0 2.6 1.0 G 5 Brandi Harris 5-8 Sr. 1.6 1.7 1.1 C 54 Kim Bell 6-7 So. 2.5 2.9 2.0 (bpg) THE LONG RANGE RECORD - Every three-point goal the Gophers score for the remainder of the season will add to the Minnesota single-season record for three-pointers made. This year's Gopher squad has 127 treys in 22 games, smashing the previous record of 120 trifectas set by last season's club in 27 games. The three-point shot makes up 33.3 percent of the Gophers' field goal attempts. Minnesota broke the single-season record for three-pointers made with five treys against Wisconsin (2/3). The Gophers' 127 threes leads the Big Ten. Only three other conference schools own over 100 three- pointers on the season, Penn State (116), Michigan (104) and Iowa (101).
TRIPLE DIGITS IN THREES - Sophomore guard Cassie VanderHeyden (East Bethel, Minn./St. Francis) hit four three-point field goals against Illinois to become the second Golden Gopher to surpass 100 three-pointers in a career. VanderHeyden, second on the Gophers' all-time three-point field goal list, owns 103 three-pointers in her brief two-year career with the Gophers. Shannon Loeblein (1992-95) holds the career record with 133 three-point field goals. Loeblein, however, accomplished the record in 107 career games. VanderHeyden has played 48 games.
CLOSE BUT NO RECORD - Minnesota converted on 18-of-20 free throws against Wisconsin for a season-high 90.0 percent free throw percentage. The Minnesota single-game record stands at .929 (13-of-14), accomplished three times, the last versus Boise State during the 1992-93 season. The Gophers hit 100 percent of their free throws twice last season, with 3-for-3 at Purdue and 6-6 versus Hawaii not counting for the record. The last time the Gophers hit 90 percent or better from the free throw line with at least 10 made was on Dec. 11, 1995, when Minnesota connected on 10-of-11 (90.9 percent) from the line.
BIG TEN SCORING BLUES - Minnesota's scoring average in Big Ten games stands at 51.6 points per game, a conference low. The Gophers' dip in scoring average reflects their struggles shooting from the field. Overall, Minnesota has converted 32 percent of its field goal attempts in Big Ten play. That statistic falls to 27 percent from three-point range. Minnesota has put 60 points on the scoreboard just three times in Big Ten play (61 vs. Indiana, 60 vs. Purdue, 65 vs. Wisconsin).
A STREAK TO BURY - Here's a streak dating back three years that has to go. Minnesota has lost 22 straight Big Ten games at home. Coach Cheryl Littlejohn (0-21) has yet to experience a conference victory on her home court. The last Big Ten win in the Sports Pavilion was a 66-64 victory over Ohio State on Feb. 2, 1997. There is not a single Gopher on this season's roster who played in that victory.
GUNNING FOR THE SINGLE-SEASON RECORD - Rookie long-range jumper artist Lindsay Lieser (New London, Minn./New London-Spicer) needs just five more three-point field goals to set a new Minnesota single-season record. Lieser's total of 59 in 22 games is the second-most three-pointers in a season, and the most ever by a first-year Gophers. With two three-pointers against Wisconsin last Thursday, Lieser surpassed teammate Cassie VanderHeyden's mark of 56 set last season in 27 games. Shannon Loeblein holds the single-season record with 63 treys in 27 games during the 1994-95 season.
THE DYNAMIC DUO - The backcourt tandem of Lindsay Lieser and Cassie VanderHeyden has combined to hit 105 treys in 315 attempts. Between the two, they have scored only 40 baskets in the conventional two-point fashion. In other words, 315 of their combined 443 points on the season, or 71 percent of their points scored, have come from beyond the three-point arc.
HOT FROM THE STRIPE - The Gophers have made the most of their free throw opportunities in the last five games. Including a season-best 90.0 percent performance (18-20) against Wisconsin last Thursday, Minnesota has shot a collective 80 percent from the charity stripe in its last four outings, converting 72 of 90 chances. Erin Olson (Mitchell, S.D./Mitchell) hit 6-of-6 versus Michigan and 8-of-9 against Wisconsin en route to converting on 25 of her last 27 charity tosses in the four-game stretch. Olson has improved her season percentage to 77.5 percent.
OLSON NEARS 100 CAREER ASSISTS - Senior Erin Olson is three assists away from 100 assists in a season, a feat accomplished only nine times in Minnesota history, the last time by Kiauna Burns in the 1997-98 season. Olson ranks third in the Big Ten in assists, dishing out an average of 4.4 assists per game. With 97 assists and 87 turnovers on the season, she is the only Gopher with more assists than turnovers.
LIESER AMONG THE NATION'S BEST FROM LONG RANGE - In last week's release of NCAA statistics, Lindsay Lieser was ranked 14th in the nation in three-point field goals made per game. She averages 2.8 three-point field goals per game.
BOWDEN SOLID IN HER ROLE - Though her 8.9 points per game average ranks fourth overall for the Gophers, senior forward Moneeke Bowden (Bakersfield, Calif./ South) is second in scoring in Big Ten games at 9.8 points per game. Bowden also tops the Gophers in rebounding, pulling down 6.5 boards per game.
GETTING THE JOB DONE QUIETLY - Junior center Brandy Pickens (Flint, Mich./Powers Catholic) has played the best basketball of her Gopher career, albeit very quietly, and is a top candidate for most improved player honors. Pickens tops the Gophers in rebounding during Big Ten games with a 7.3 rebound average, a mark that ranks 12th in conference play. The Gopher co-captain has improved her scoring during conference play to 5.3 points per game, up from her season average of 3.8 points per game.
PATROLLING THE PAINT - Sophomore center Kim Bell (Minneapolis, Minn./Washburn) is currently in fifth place on the Minnesota career blocks list with 78. Bell's next target on the list is Carol Ann Shudlick (1991-94) with 84. At 6-7, Bell, the tallest player to ever wear a Gopher uniform, ranks second in the Big Ten, averaging 2.0 blocks per game.
REBOUNDING EDGE NOT ENOUGH IN LOSS - The Golden Gophers were unable to capitalize on a 23-8 advantage in offensive rebounds in an 81-49 loss to No. 23 Illinois, in Big Ten Conference women's basketball action at Assembly Hall in Champaign, Ill., on Sunday.
Minnesota contributed to the offensive rebounding opportunities by shooting just 26 percent from the field, hitting 17 shots in 66 attempts. The Gophers dug themselves an early hole by missing their first eight shots to start the game.
The first of Cassie VanderHeyden's four three-point field goals in the game brought the Gophers back to within 12-11 with 11:37 left in the first half. Illinois countered with a 26-10 run to end the half with a 38-21 lead.
Illinois matched its 50 percent field goal percentage from the first half in the second to halt any Minnesota comeback attempt. Illinois finished the game hitting 28 of 56 field goals. Sophomore guard Allison Curtin paced Illinois with 22 points, in addition to collecting six assists, five steals and three blocks.
VanderHeyden led the Gophers with 16 points. Her four three-point field goals give her 103 for her career as the sophomore sharpshooter becomes just the second player in Gopher history to record over 100 triples in a career. She also added a career-high seven assists. Erin Olson was the only other Gopher in double figures with 10 points. Brandy Pickens tied her career best with 10 rebounds.
THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY - An ironic twist to the 1999-2000 Minnesota season will go down in the Gopher record books in one positive and one negative manner. During this season, the Gopher defense allowed only 42 points in a 68-42 victory over St. Louis in December, marking the fewest points allowed by the Gophers in the NCAA era. Unfortunately, the Gopher offense suffered the same fate, scoring just 30 points in the loss to Penn State, the fewest Minnesota points scored since the 1981-82 season, or the start of the NCAA era.
GOPHERS SURPASS LAST YEAR'S WIN TOTAL - Minnesota's win over Indiana-Purdue (Jan. 23) gave the Gophers eight wins in a season for the first time since 1994-95, when they posted a 12-15 record. The Gophers' 8-14 mark this season compares to records of 7-20, 4-23, 4-24 and 4-23 over the past four seasons. The Gophers can't rest at eight wins. This year's team and last year's team had identical 7-9 records after 16 games. The 1998-99 Gophers never captured win number eight, finishing the season on a disappointing 11-game losing streak.
SCOUTING WISCONSIN - The Badgers have lost two of their last three games to Big Ten leader and No. 6-ranked Penn State. Slow starts plagued Wisconsin in both games against the Lady Lions, with the Badgers scoring less than 20 points in the first half of both games. The foundation of the Wisconsin roster are the past two Big Ten Players of the Year, 1998 honoree forward LaTonya Sims and 1999 awardwinner Jessie Stomski. LaTonya tops the Badgers averaging 14.2 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. Stomski, an Oakdale, Minn., native, chips in 13.8 points and 7.8 rebounds an outing. Two other Badgers average in double figures, Tamara Moore at 13.6 and Kelley Paulus at 10.5 points per game, respectively.
Head coach Jane Albright is in her sixth season at Wisconsin and sports a 107-61 record with the Badgers.
The Series - Wisconsin has a slim 22-20 lead in the series with Minnesota but has won the last nine regular- season meetings. The last Gopher win was in the first round of the Big Ten Conference Tournament in 1997.
THE LAST TIME AGAINST THE BADGERS - Both teams converted free throws at an impressive percentage, but the difference in the Border Battle was the number attempted. Wisconsin outscored Minnesota 29-18 at the free throw line to capture a 75-65 victory at the Kohl Center in Madison on Feb. 3.
The Badgers used a penetrating offensive attack to earn 37 free throw attempts. Wisconsin shot 78 percent from the line, including a lofty 86 percent (19-22) in the second half. Minnesota connected on a season-high 90 percent of its charity tosses, making 18 of 20 for the game.
The Gopher held a lead for much of the first half. Two Jackie Tate free throws at the 8:51 mark gave Minnesota its biggest lead at 18-9. Wisconsin countered with a 13-4 run to knot the score at 22-22. The score remained tied at halftime, 28-28.
Minnesota rebuilt its lead early in the second half, a three-pointer by Moneeke Bowden putting the Gophers up 44-38 with 14:07 to play. Badger three-point field goals by Candas Smith and Tamara Moore fueled the Wisconsin rally, tying the score at 46-46. After two more ties, free throws by Smith at the 10:27 mark gave the Badgers the lead for good.
Foul trouble hindered the Gophers comeback attempts, with Bowden, Kim Bell and Brandy Pickens all whistled for their fifth foul in the last five minutes of the game. Badger forward LaTonya Sims made the Gophers pay, hitting 11-of-12 free throws in the second half, 13-of-16 for the game.
Erin Olson went 8-for-9 from the free throw line en route to a season-high 21 points. Bowden chipped in 15 before fouling out with 4:38 to play.
Tamara Moore led four Badgers in double figures with 22 points, including 4-of-5 from three-point range. Sims added 15.
Minnesota hit five three-pointers in the game, giving the Gophers a Minnesota single-season record 122 for the season. The previous record was 120 set by the 1998-99 Gophers in 27 games.
UP NEXT - The Gophers have a week off before returning to action on Thursday, Feb. 17, at Northwestern.
